Device for extending fingernails



July 16, 1957 T. s. SLACK 2,799,282

DEVICE FOR EXTENDING FINGERNAILS Filed May 18,. 1955 United States Patent t DEVICE FOR EXTENDING FINGERNAILS Thomas S. Slack, Wynnewood, Pa.

Application May 18, 1955, Serial No. 509,377

3 Claims. (Cl. 132-881) The present invention relates to the treatment of nails, and more particularly to a device for improving the physical and esthetic characteristics thereof and has for an object the provision of a device for applying a material to a human mail for extending it and to improve the strength and the appearance of the nail. I

The problem of maintaining presentable nails, particularly finger nails, has always been of prime importance, particularly to Women. This is particularly true where it is desired to enhance the appearance of the nail :as by increasing its length, particularly in those instances where the .nail to be improved has been severely broken or damaged, or is very thin or brittle and incapable of being naturally developed to a desired length. Artificial nails become detached too easily and do not lend strength to the body-of the nail.

In accordance "with the present invention, there is provided a device for use in guiding the application of a suitable coating material which not only adheres to the surface of a nail to improve the contour, shape and strength of the nail, but also forms an extension thereof of the same contour as the nail. The device is comprised of a portion extending forward beyond the nail to be treated, and another portion which extends backward on either side of the nail. The second-named portion provides a means for attaching the device to the digit hearing the nail. More particularly, the device is comprised of an open-ended body member for receiving the nailbearing digit, for example, a finger, and has a portion which is placed adjacent to and in contact with the fleshy end portion :of the finger. The body member or portion extends forward beyond the nail in a nail-lengthening direction so as to provide a platform upon which the material may be applied when it is desired to lengthen the nail. The platform portion of the device is located and maintained in a proper position relative to the nail and to the finger by means of spaced extending portions of the body member adapted to be positioned along the oppositesides of the finger. The extending portions not only provide the support for the device in such a man'- ner that the device does not depend in any way on the finger nail for a means of attachment, but also provides means for shaping the platform to conform with the C011, tour of the nail. In order to prevent the material applied to the nail from adhering to the platform, the surface is made resistant to adhesion with the material.

In a preferred form of the present invention the device is madefiexible so that the platform may be shaped and conformed with the contour of the existing portions of the nail. The desired shaped relationship is maintained by providing a means for holding the device infixed relation to the nail. In one form, this means is provided by a layer of adhesive material added on an undersurface of the deviceand being of a type which will form a bond with the flesh of the digit bearing the nail. In another form the device is metal and the resilience of the extending portions holds the device in place in matching con- ];pur with the nails. For a more detailed understanding 2,799,282 Patented July 16, 1957 2 of the invention and for further objects and advantages "thereof, reference may be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying draw ings, in which:

LF-ig.- 1 is a top plan View of a preferred embodiment of an article or device, embodying the present invention, for use as a means for lengthening the nail;

'Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line corresponding with line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the various lamina thereof Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device illustrated in Figs." 1 and 2 fastened to a finger;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the device of Figs. 1 and 2 fastened to a finger whose nail has been severely damaged;

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the steps of applying a coating or nail-extending material to a nail and to the device;

Fig. 7 illustrates a finger and nail to which a coating material has been applied;

Fig. 8 illustrates another form of the present invention in which the device is formed from tube stock;

Fig. 9 illustrates the device of Fig. 8 in position on a finger; and- Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate yet other forms of the present invention usable in the practice of lengthening and/or coating of a digit nail.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate the same parts throughout the several views and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated an expendable former or device 20 embodying the present invention.

The device 20 is substantially circular in shape with a circular cutout portion eccentric with respect to the circular periphery to define a substantially ring-shaped body. The eccentricity provides a wider portion 23 which forms a platform for a nail-coating and nail-extending material. The width of the device 20 decreases from the platform area 23 to the side portions or extensions 27 and 28 which serve not only to secure the device 20 to a digit but also to control the shape and contour of the platform 23. The device 20 of Figs. 1 and 2 is of the expend-able type. It is of low cost and is conveniently stamped from a laminated material, one side 24 of which may be a metal toil, such as aluminum or tin, with a base portion 25 of paper covered by a coating of adhesive 25a. The adhesive may be of the pressure-sensitive type, in which case it will be protected by a removable cover, or preferably it is of the dry type which after moistening will adhere to the finger.

As is well known, nails vary in their cross-sectional contour and, of course, in size. Nevertheless, the device 20' is universal in application and only one size need be supplied in order to apply the nail-coating and nailextending material to the nails of each digit of hands Widely diitering in size. More particularly, the device 20 in Fig. 3 is shown in its final position affixed to a digit 26. It will be observed that the inner arcu'ate portion 22 has been moved beneath the end of the nail of the digit 2 6 and that the side extensions 27 and 28 have been pressed against the sides of the digit with their end portions extending along the sides and upwardly to the top of the digit. It will be understood, of course, that the adhesive coating 25d adheres to the fleshy portion of the finger. Accordingly, by moving the extensions 27 and 28 transversely of the axis of the digit 26, the platform portion 23 may be shaped tomatch the contour of the nail. This is one of the important features of the invention which makes it universal in its application and adapted to nails of all sizes. In this connection, it the extensions. and 28 meet, i. e., the device 20 is a continuous ring, the same end results can be achieved by having the cut-out opening large enough to accommos tending end to the finger nail.

date the largest nail likely to be encountered, inasmuch as the side portions 27 and 28 will fix and determine the contour of the platform 23 to match that of the nail.

When the nail has been broken or severely bitten back,

as shown in Fig. 4, the device 20 is applied in a' similar manner, as shown in Fig. 3'.

However, the arcu-ate portion 22 can then rest on the quick over the end of the digit, leaving a space between the arcuate portion 22 and the nail. The arms or extensions 27 and 28 again serve to hold the platform 23 in an arcuate configuration "short, as in Fig. 4, or approaching the end of the digit,

as in Fig. 3.

With the device 20 secured to a finger and the platform v23 of the desired contour, the nail-coating and nailextending material is then applied as illustrated in Figs. 5

and 6. The material itself is of a character which ad- 'heres to the upper surface of the nail and which is self- .se'tting and of adequate strength to form any desired extension of the nail. One suitable coating comprises a powder, 99 /2 parts of finely divided polymethyl methacrylate and /2 part benzyl peroxide, in mixture with the liquid comprising 99 parts of methyl methacrylate monomer and 1 part N,N-dimethyl-para-toluidine. The powder and liquid are mixed together in equal parts to form the nail-coating and nail-extending material. It is then readily applied to the nail by means ofan applicator, such as a brush 29. The material is applied as a coating over the entire nail and can, and in general does, extend over and onto the upper surface of the device 20. Since this surface is of the closed-pore type, i. e., a metal foil, the material will not adhere thereto 1 upon setting. The material is sufficiently 'soft and the viscosity low enough so that it may be shaped by stroking it with the brush. It may be easily formed as a thin or heavy coating for the nail, and in the region adjacent the arcuate portion 22 the thickness may approximate that of the nail plus the coating to form an extension thereof. :It will be found preferable in some instances to dip the brush 29 into the liquid, after the coating has been applied, to increase the smoothness of the surface. When the material sets, it presents a hard smooth surface to which nail polish, natural or colored may be applied.

While the above example of application andthe particular material have been found satisfactory,it is to be understood that the precise method of application may be varied and that other materials of similar properties may be utilized in connection with the device 20. After the material has set, the device 20 is readily separated from the finger and from the material, the adhesive, while adequate to hold the device 20 in place, yielding upon peeling the device 20 away from the finger. As already mentioned, the material does not adhere to the foil-coated surface of device 20. After a single use the device 20 is, of course, discarded. It is to be understood that instead of the laminate structure of Fig. 2, the device 20 may be formed of a flexible plastic material, such as polyethylene or a heavy treated paper, treated for rigidity and for a surface which is nona-dhesive with respect to the nail-extending material. Other suitable materials include fiber glass and nylon. In Figs. 8 and 9 there is illustrated a prefenred'forrn of device 30 suitable for re-use. It is a more or less permanent accessory in contrast with the expendable single-use device 20 of Figs. l-6. As shown, the device 30 is provided with a material-supporting platform 31 having a fixed arcuate surface matching the average contour of a nail. Extending portions 32, 33=are resilient and are designed to press against opposite sides of a finger in the manner illustrated in Fig. 9 to hold device 30 in place. If desired, additional means may be used, such as elastic bands 35 encircling the extensions 32 and 33, and to press them with increased pressure against the sides of the finger.

The arcua-te portion 34 of device 30 may be beveled or tapered somewhat on its underside so that it fits snugly against the fleshy end portion of the finger, and against and slightly under a broken nail, and where the nail is of normal length (Fig. 9), between the underside of the nail and the adjacent portion of the finger.

Whereas the expendable device of Fig. 1 of one size is universal in use in that it is adapted for all the fingers of hands of varying size, the device 30 of Figs. 8 and 9 is preferably supplied in a variety of sizes. In order to treat all the fingers, it is, of course, anticipated that there will be several of devices 30 for the fingers and thumb each having the contour or arcuate portion of the material-supporting platform 31 of a predetermined shape suitable for the finger nail with which it is to be used.

Again, the material of which the device 30 is comprised is not to be considered as limited to polyethylene. It may be made of any suitable material including other plastics, metals, impregnated cloths and fiber glass.

Another embodiment of a nail-lengthening device 40 is illustrated in Fig. 10. It is preferably formed of a plastic material, such as polyethylene, and has an openedend body portion 41 for receiving the finger and the nail.

The device 40 is provided with means for regulating the thickness of the applied nail-coating and nail-extending material. This means takes the form of a substantially U-shaped ridge 42 formed on the upper surface of the material-supporting platform 43. The ridge 42 shaped generally in the form of the end of a nail is of a predetermined height and so regulates the thickness of the extension of the nail.

The modification of Fig. 10 also includes a molding member 44 whose under-surface configuration is in the shape of the desired upper contour of the finished nail. The molding member 44 is also of a length adequate to cover the ridge 42 and the entire length of the natural nail. The forward end 45 of the molding member 44 may be .provided with a configuration resembling that of the base of the natural nail. The molding member may be pivotally mounted to an end of the body portion 41 as by means of a hinged structure 46. Alternately, the molding member 44 may be separate from the device .40 and positioned over the ridge 42, and over the applied material to elfect the desired contour.

The extending portions 47 and 48 of the device of Fig. 10 are each provided with a plurality of raised portions 49 which serve, together with a suitable mechanical binding means 49a, such as a loop of thread or preferably an The coating or extending material is then applied over the entire exposed surface of the finger nail and over that portion of the platform 43 bounded by the ridge 42. The molding member 44, in the illustrated embodiment, is then pivoted about its hinge and firmly pressed down upon the deposited material. The molding member 44 is held in this lowered position for a brief period, sufliciently long for the material partially to set, and then it is raised. After the material has fully set, the device 40 is removed from the finger and separated from the applied material, leaving a finished nail.

In the modification of Figs. 11 and 12 a device 50 includes a body portion 51 made of any suitable material,

but preferably sheet metal, and including spaced extending'portions 52 and 53 for contacting and positioning a nail-bearing digit relative to a platform 54. The platform 54 is mounted in fixed relation to the extending portions 52 and 53 by means of a supporting metallic member 55 fixedly mounted to both the platform and the body portion. The body portion 51 is made universal in that it can receive any of the digits. To this end, the extending portions 52 and 53 are resilient and are pressed against the sides of the digit. If desired an elastic band may encircle them and the digit to hold the device 50 in place on the digit. 9

Further in accordance with the intent to provide a universal device, removable and replaceable material supporting platforms 56 are provided having depending inwardly disposed clips 57 and 58 at opposite ends thereof for resilient engagement with edges of the platform 54. An individual supporting platform 56 is provided for each of the nails, each optionally having a molding ridge 59 formed on its upper surface.

It shall be understood the invention is not limited to the specific arrangements shown, and that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: a

1. A finger nail device for the artificial extension of a nail by application of extending material to the nail and to said device, said device comprised of laminations, one of said laminations having the characteristic of having a substantially closed-pore surface, said device having a body portion whose outer configuration is substantially circular and having a circular cut-out portion eccentric with the outer configuration of said body to expose the entire upper surface of the nail for treatment, said body being open-ended at the narrowest portion thereof and an opposite wide portion of said body providing a supporting surface for the extending material.

2. A finger nail device for the artificial extension of a nail by application of a nail-extending material to the upper surface of the nail and to said device, said device having a body portion whose outer configuration is substantially circular and having a circular cut-out portion eccentric with its outer configuration to expose the entire upper surface of the nail for application of the material thereto, said body portion being open-ended at the narrowest portion thereof and an opposite wide portion of the device for extending beyond the natural length ofthe nail to provide a material supporting surface for nail-extending material.

3. The finger nail device of claim 1 in which said lamination with the substantially closed-pore surface comprises the supporting surface for the extending material and in which the opposite surface has an adhesive coating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,031,225 ODonnell Feb. 18, 1936 2,073,867 Feigenbaum Mar. 16, 1937 2,094,962 Ragworth Oct. 5, 1937 2,209,167 McKinney July 23, 1940 2,219,446 Girvin Oct. 29, 1940 2,234,657 Smaldone Mar. 11, 1941 2,251,551 OReilly Aug. 5, 1941 2,257,102 Breene Sept. 30, 1941 2,262,977 Vasil Nov. 18, 1941 2,296,795 Landsworth Sept. 22, 1942 2,323,145 Mabry June 29, 1943 2,485,384 Klein Oct. 18, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 344,414 Germany Nov. 21, 1921 628,021 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1949 

